Page 76 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

If only anyone understood how important time was to me, they wouldn’t leave me wondering.

It’s okay; he’ll figure it out eventually.

“You look better.”

I stop in the doorway of the kitchen to find Holden’s son gazing at me over the open refrigerator door. I smile slightly as I raise my eyes toward the clock and begin to mentally add the moments that have passed.

Eight days, fourteen hours, seven minutes, and seconds still accruing.

“Thanks,” I say to him as I walk by him and over to the window. I pull it open and stick my head out into the warm, afternoon air, inhaling deeply.

Sometimes the simplest thing such as this makes all the difference in the world.

“Hungry? I can make you something.”

I shake my head as I look up at the sky. The truth is that I haven’t been very hungry lately and the gauntness of my cheeks and stomach shows it. He’s just being kind in pretending not to fully notice how sick I’m becoming.

I blow out my breath when I’m feeling slightly better and turn to face Eastin, who’s watching me carefully while nibbling on the biggest sandwich I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Not to sound like a broken record,” he begins through a mouthful of bread and meat, “but can I ask you something?”

I nod, crossing my arms loosely over my chest and wait.

“Um, okay,” he says as he sets his sandwich down on the counter and brushes the crumbs off his hand on the leg of his basketball shorts. “Were you sick before you met Dad, or did this happen after?”

“About ten months ago,” I reply with a shrug.

“And how long have you been married again?”

“Ten years.”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “So … if I told you to get the fuck out of dodge before he gets back from ‘business’ would you?”

I clear my throat and stare at him. Holden had to get my parents to sign off on our marriage certificate because of how young I was. On the cusp of sixteen when we were ready to get married and he paid them a hefty amount of money for my hand in marriage—I doubt they’d be willing to take me in now if I needed some place to go.

“I wouldn’t have anywhere to run to,” I reply with a shrug.

Eastin lets out a heavy sigh as he reaches for his sandwich and takes another bite. He holds up a finger to ask for my patience as he chews as quickly as he can, then sets it down again, “Is it your kidneys? Is that what’s making you sick?”

“I don’t know,” I reply truthfully. “I haven’t been to a doctor.”

“How come?”

“Holden says it isn’t necessary. He holds the purse strings in this house so I wouldn’t be able to pay for a consultation even if I wanted one.”

“So you’re not taking any medication either?”

“Didn’t I just tell you that I don’t have any money?” I snap at him.

He smiles as he holds his hands up in surrender. “What made you want to marry him?”

“He was good to me,” I confess in quiet tone. “And we were tired of hiding our relationship, so he asked for my parents’ permission.”

“Strange.”

I shrug and look up at the time before lowering my eyes toward Eastin again.

“What’s your deal with the time?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.

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